Mezcal is a strong distilled liquor made from the agave plant, commonly associated with Oaxaca, Mexico. It is aged and has different flavors depending on the species of agave. Mezcal is typically stronger and harder than tequila, although they are made from the same plant.
Perhaps the most famous drink to come out of Mexico is one made from the agave plant: tequila. But there’s another agave-derived drink, one that’s far less known but just as potent. Mezcal is commonly associated with the Mexican state of Oaxaca, although it is produced in different areas of Mexico. It has many different flavors, depending on the species of agave plant it is made from. In general, it is any distilled liquor derived from the agave plant that is not tequila.
Mezcal is typically double distilled to produce a rich flavor and then aged. The more the liqueur ages, the darker it becomes. Young mezcal, or joven, is nearly clear and doesn’t have the stronger flavors of older versions. Reposado mezcal means the liquor has been aged for two to three months to a year, and anejo mezcal has been aged for a year or more, producing the strongest flavors and deepest color.
Sometimes mezcal bottles contain a worm or larvae. These are now largely marketing tools, but were widely believed to add nutrients to the liquor. They also add some flavor to the liquor, but the worm is generally seen as a marketing device that plays on an already established perception of the product. Contrary to popular belief, maggots are not added to tequila as such practices are banned in Mexico; the worm is characteristic of mezcal.
This alcohol is made from corazones or hearts of agave, also known as pineapple or piña of the plant. Foragers cut off the plant’s large leaves and harvest the hearts after the plant has matured for six to eight years. The hearts are then formed into a puree after being cooked and mashed. The mash is added to water along with sugar and left to ferment for up to a month. The liqueur is then distilled according to the times indicated above.
Mezcal tastes similar to tequila, but is typically stronger and a bit harder. Tequila tends to be a smoother drink. In Mexico, tequila and mezcal are considered extremely different drinks even though they are made from the same plant and have similar tastes.
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